


Progressions

by inanis_mortem



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Fluff, M/M, ares not hurting again-, just a lotta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 19:03:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17452637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inanis_mortem/pseuds/inanis_mortem
Summary: It goes a bit like this:Ares thinks he's undeserving of anything and Seliph thinks Ares deserves the world.(Seliph's right.)





	1. /Not/ Deserving

**Author's Note:**

> *wheezes* I love Ares and Seliph like a whole ton and they deserve nothing but the everything in the world. Updates are gonna be sporadic because I'm terrible at sticking to any kind of writing schedule, sorry in advance!

_“I don’t… I don’t like being touched.”_

_Seliph blinks once. Twice._

_“Okay.”_

_“I… What’s the point of being with me if you can’t_ **_touch_ ** _me?” Ares is surprised by the amount of self loathing that leaks into his voice. The wind howls miserably outside of the tent, rattling the tied down flaps as Seliph stares at him, eyes bright in the dying light of the lantern._

_“That shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, Aless. That’s not a dealbreaker for me.”_

_“You deserve better,” Ares argues, breath stuck in his chest as his heart hammers, trying to break out of his ribcage. “You deserve someone that can cherish you and-”_

_“Do you not cherish me?” Seliph’s voice is unnervingly calm and soft, patient even as Ares feels his own emotions spiralling out of control._

_“I… I do.”_

_“Then that’s enough for me.”_

_The tears that somehow blur his vision takes Ares by surprise. His emotions spill over the dam he’s been keeping them behind and he sinks to his knees, rubbing furiously to at his eyes to try to rub them away because god, how weak is he to cry at those simple words?_

_“Aless…?” Seliph is in front of him, kneeling in front of him, not touching him._

_Ah. Ares raises his head to look at Seliph, his tears starting to spill down his cheeks. “You’re too good for me,” Ares chokes out. “I don’t deserve you, I don’t deserve anything.”_

_Seliph smiles and it’s sad and muted, it’s unlike his usual blinding smiles. “Ares, you deserve everything.” And somehow, that hurts more than anything Ares has ever heard in his life before._


	2. Surface

* * *

_ “We’ll work on it together, if you truly wish to.” _

Seliph insists he’s fine, fine if Ares doesn’t want to but Ares  _ does _ . He tells himself it’s for Seliph but truthfully, he needs it for himself just as much. And even though he tries not to be, Ares is ever so bitter with the fact that he can’t do simple things, at how his hands immediately retract back when Seliph even brushes against his fingers without prior warning or how he can’t even take Seliph’s hand when Seliph offers it to him.

“You don’t have to be so upset over it.” They’re sitting by the practice grounds, trying to summon some kind of motivation to get up and spar with each other but they’ve grown a bit lax and honestly don’t want to.

“It’s a hand, Seliph. Your hand. It’s not like you  _ bite _ .” Ares is trying and failing miserably at not sounding upset.

Seliph props his chin on his hand, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t?”

Ares stares at him. “You… Shouldn’t…?” Seliph grins and. It’s lightening fast and Ares almost misses it but he swears, swears on his father’s sword that Seliph winks and he’s not sure how to process that. At all.

“I shouldn’t?” Seliph’s voice is dead serious and Ares feels a piece of him die on the inside.

“No…”

“No as in I should not bite or no as in-” Ares bats at Seliph with a hand to stop him from speaking before Seliph runs in more circles around him with his words. Seliph tips over at an attempt to avoid the swipe and catches Ares’ hand in with his own.

Ares freezes and so does Seliph, both of them staring mutely at each until Ares realizes he’s not… Panicking at all. Seliph’s touch doesn’t feel  _ bad _  and it doesn’t send Ares into his flight mode. Ares doesn’t say anything at first, still trying to wrap his head around why and Seliph drops Ares’ hand, the guilt on his face spurs Ares into action.

“Wait! Wait, no, it uh, I-Look. Listen,” Ares tries to find his words and like the eloquent man he is, he doesn’t. He opens his mouth and shuts it several times, anything he tries to think of becoming jumbled in his mind before he can even piece it together into a coherent sentence. The corner of Seliph’s lips quirk into a small grin and he sits back up properly, crossing his legs like a child would.

“I’m listening~”

The teasing tone snaps Ares out of his goldfish like trance and he does his best to look mad. “Look, I-” Even on the second time around, he doesn’t do better and he stops, nearly huffing out a breath of frustration as Seliph starts to giggle, quickly changing it to a cough when Ares glares at him. “Words are hard,” he finally says and Seliph nods sagely.

“Indeed. For the simple minded anyways.”

Ares pauses and ponders the words for a moment before he springs to his feet a moment too late, Seliph already darting away.    
  
“SELIPH!”

Seliph grows into a habit of holding his hand out randomly and Ares gradually grows into the habit of taking it. It’s never forced or anything, it’s simply an offered hand and Ares has the choice of ignoring it.

In the beginning, Ares avoids it more than he takes but Seliph’s fine, it’s always the same bright smile, a gentle shoulder bump before they move on.

It’s casual. Slow. Ares isn’t familiar with either of those words but they become a norm he never knew he needed.

Eventually it’s easier to slip his hand into Seliph’s even without prompting, Ares developing a want for the warmth that Seliph’s touch seems to bring. Their fleeting touches unhurriedly evolve into hours of clasped hands where Seliph traces over their intertwined fingers languidly with his free hand.

Sometimes they lie under the night sky, bundled up in clothing that feels too bulky for Ares, and they know  _ nothing _  about the constellations but Seliph chatters on and on about the moon, the stars, the world around them and Ares is content to  _ listen _ . There’s a certain beauty to freezing his butt and one hand that he gingerly gives to Seliph without a glove, just to be able to listen to Seliph ramble.

(He means, there’s nothing beautiful to nursing the cold comes along with it when he forgets to bring along a scarf but it’s worth it.)

* * *

One night, something streaks across the sky and Seliph’s reaction is endearing. “Ares, Ares, make a wish!” It’s Ares first time seeing a shooting star and Seliph is already closing his eyes, his lips moving soundlessly as his hand tightens around Ares’. Ares stares at the comet, tracking the blur of spiralling light until it falls out of sight, too entranced to even try.

He glances at Seliph who stares back, eyebrows raised.

“What did you wish for?” he asks, voice a bit wheezy from the cold, furthering muffling his voice by burying his nose into his scarf. Seliph sneezes before he replies, nose wrinkling.

“Your happiness.”   
  
“Wh… What?”   
  
“Your happiness,” Seliph repeats patiently like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.   
  
“Why? What about yours?” Ares can’t help it when his voice cracks in disbelief. A wish wasted on  _ him _ ?

Seliph grins, lifting up their hands before he presses a brief kiss to the back of Ares hand. “I’m happy, I have everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m so lucky to have you and,” his grin turns bashful, “once again, I want you to be happy because you deserve it.”

Ares can count the times he’s cried in a way hasn’t hurt him on one hand and every time it’s Seliph. He chokes out a thank you in between his gasping sobs that come out of nowhere and despite the cold, he’s warmer than he’s ever been.


	3. Equals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alksjdf god i'm really sorry for not updating this for so long but i lost interest in this for a bit so... here's a little more

“Ares.” Seliph’s voice is nearly lost in the din of the celebrating army but Ares catches it anyways. He turns his head away from the conversation he was never paying attention to and looks at Seliph, fingertips lingering on the rim of a cup of cheap ale he hasn’t touched. 

Seliph looks soft in the light that the various campfires give off, Tyrfing still tucked into his belt but fully sheathed, his cheeks slightly pink. He’s out of his battle attire, hair falling out of his ponytail, headband slightly askew. He’s smiling at Ares, and somehow, Ares’ stomach and heart twists unexpectedly at that and he’s not sure what he wants to label that. “Seliph,” Ares greets in return, keeping his tone decidedly neutral even though he has to admit he’s slightly, just slightly joyous to see Seliph. “Do you need anything?” 

He’s surprised Seliph has found him at all, he’s lingering at the very edges of camp after all and Seliph really has no reason to come out here unless it’s to see- Ares shakes his head at the thought of Seliph coming to see  _ him _ and waits for Seliph’s answer. He can’t possibly be here to congratulate Ares on the victory, that’s already been done and Ares can’t think of another reason about why Seliph would seek him out.

“Ah… If you’re comfortable with it… Could I give you a hug?”

It’s a simple question but Ares is floored. No one, not Javarro, not the mercenaries he grew up with, the army even, has ever really asked his permission to do something or considered his feelings for most things in his life. 

“Is that an order?” he asks dumbly out of reflex  even though he knows it’s not, in no way is it even phrased like that but  _ still _ . Seliph blinks, once, twice, probably asking himself why Ares is such an idiot-

“No, no, of course not,” Seliph murmurs, rubbing a hand over his eyes and Ares wonders how much he’s drunk already. It can’t be too much since he’s still rather coherent. “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I don’t command you, never have, never will. We’re equals and I never want to treat you as anything else. I just know that you ah…” Seliph trails off, rubbing his eye again. 

Ares’ heart swells with… Something he can’t be bothered to define but it’s certainly not painful, it’s strange and tingly. Turning to face Seliph fully and tuning out the other knights, he realizes only Seliph makes him feel this way.

“I…” Ares hesitates, just for a moment. 

Seliph smiles and it doesn’t send chills down Ares’ back nor does it make him feel like Seliph’s disappointed in him. It feels fine. Safe, even. “You don’t have to say yes, Ares.” 

Ares hesitates again and Seliph waves his hand, wiggling his fingers to get Ares’ attention. 

“Ares, you don’t have to-“

“Next time,” Ares blurts out before he can stop himself. “I promise, next-“ Seliph’s look cuts him off. It’s not threatening or anything but it holds enough weight to make Ares hold his tongue as Seliph sighs. 

“ _ Aless _ .”

“Yes?” Ares realizes he almost sounds vaguely meek.

“Not until you’re comfortable. I’m not going to,  _ achoo- _ ” Seliph sneezes, turning quickly to bury his nose into the crook of his elbow before turning back. “I’m not going to hug you or do  _ anything  _ until you say yes because you’re okay with it or you want it.” His tone softens. “I just… I want you to be happy.” 

_ That phrase again _ . Ares still hasn’t really figured out how to respond to it. “... Oh.” There's a split second of panic because oh, that’s possibly the dumbest thing he could say to something like that. Ares wishes he had touched some of that ale because then he’ll at least have an excuse for sounding like an idiot. 

He’s prepared for at least a scowl or Seliph taking some offence to his more than lacklustre reply but Seliph simply laughs his cheerful light laugh. 

“Have a good night, Ares.” Ares blinks at the affection in Seliph’s voice, only managing to nod wordlessly before Seliph turns away, starting to head back in the direction of his tent. 

He watches Seliph sway a bit and he’s up in a flash, reaching out to grip Seliph’s hand, pulling him back a bit. “Wait,” he says hurriedly as Seliph turns back around. He pauses, trying to gather his words and Seliph waits patiently, his fingers curling around Ares’ hand. “Don’t drink too much, please get some good rest, make sure you have plenty of water and… Food if you can.” He squeezes Seliph’s hand unconsciously and Seliph’s face lights up with a faint smile. 

Ares feels his own rare smile creep across his face and he dips his head in an attempt to hide it. Judging by Seliph’s soft chuckle he doesn’t do it very well.

Seliph gives a gentle tug at his hand. “Yes, mom,” he drawls teasingly before Ares releases Seliph’s hand. “Same goes for you too though, lightweight.” Ares bites back a retort, glowering at Seliph, their peaceful interaction evaporating into thin air and Seliph only laughs again before he disappears into the crowds. 


End file.
